


Joshler One Shots

by REBELREDRM



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Band, Bisexual Josh Dun, Blurryface, Bottom Tyler Joseph, BoyxBoy, Canon, Canon Gay Relationship, Caring Josh Dun, Clique - Freeform, Concert, Cute, Eventual Smut, Fanfiction, Fluff, Gay, Gay Josh Dun, Gay Male Character, Gay Sex, Gay Tyler Joseph, In Love, Josh Dun is a Sweetheart, Josh Dun/Tyler Joseph One Shot, Josh Dun/Tyler Joseph Smut, Joshler One Shots, Live Music, Love, M/M, Male Homosexuality, Mild Smut, Music, My First Smut, Power Bottom Tyler Joseph, Sad, Sad Tyler Joseph, Sexual Content, Shameless Smut, Ship, Skeleton Clique, Smut, Spooky Jim - Freeform, Swearing, Top Josh Dun, boys, gay relationship, josh dun - Freeform, joshler - Freeform, joshua dun - Freeform, one shots, relationship, trigger warning, twenty one pilots - Freeform, two happy boys, tyler joseph - Freeform, tøp - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-18
Updated: 2017-06-18
Packaged: 2018-11-15 21:09:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 22,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11239269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/REBELREDRM/pseuds/REBELREDRM
Summary: All Joshler; all for you.(These one shots are also posted on my Wattpad account @/supersatanic)





	1. Doubt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one shot contains some serious topics so here's a trigger warning for anyone sensitive to suicide and/or cutting. If you ever need to talk to someone, my inbox is open.

_**You truly amaze me, Tyler. Tell me, how have you lasted this long with myself being present?** _

Tyler just gave his empty room a dirty look. That made him seem tough, like he could speak against him this time, but he really couldn't. He was feeling very low this evening, the lowest he's felt in a long while. His presence wasn't helping at all.

"I don't know." he mumbled to himself, but really someone was there. In his head, Blurryface was there. No one else heard him but Tyler.

_**Oh, you know, Tyler. Tell me. Say it, won't you?** _

The glare Tyler was giving the wall opposite of him hardened. He didn't want to talk right now. Now was not the time.

"Shut up." he spoke quietly, his right hand absentmindedly reaching for his left forearm. There was nothing fresh there, so why he felt like itching it was beyond him.

**_Don't be like that. Tell me what I already know, Tyler. I want to hear it coming out of your mouth._ **

Tyler forced himself to yank his hand back and instead ran both of his hands through the mess of brown hair on his head. He needed to be strong right now, but running his hands through his hair like he was probably wasn't a good idea either. He really didn't like his hair. He needed to buzz it again, but his mind had already been so occupied by other things lately.

"No. I'm not saying anything for you." he said lowly, his fingers pulling at different strands of his brown locks. He needed something else for his hands to do and he had grown used to pulling at his hair for some safer, short-term relief. It still wasn't good considering it could result in tiny bald spots on his head, but it was better than many other things he had done in the past.

**_You will say it! You_ won't _deny me, Tyler._**

His voice was louder this time and it made Tyler jump. He didn't like when he got this way, it just made everything worse. It's not like Tyler could keep this strong front going for very much longer. Blurryface was bound to get his way sooner or later. Why was Tyler even fighting him in the first place if he knew how it always ended?

"If you know what I do then why are you making me say it?" Tyler tried, his voice already sounding a few octaves higher. Dammit.

 _**Quit being ignorant. You know exactly why. You know everything, Tyler. That's why you** _ **will** _**tell me.** _

Tyler just shook his head. He needed to start counting to slow his breathing down but he had no time for respiratory regulation. Blurryface had already gotten him worked up and he knew he wouldn't be able to do anything to calm himself now.

"Coping mechanisms. They're in the bathroom cabinet under the sink, hidden away where no one will find them." he whispered, his brown eyes flickering towards his bedroom door. Walk out of his room, turn left and take a few steps, turn right and there's his destination. If only he felt like getting up. He was too drained to move. He needed motivation.

**_Those little pieces of sharp metal aren't your only coping mechanisms. What, or should I say_ who _, is the other one?_**

Tyler's expression immediately grew dark and his hands were quick to grab at his hair and pull as hard as he could.

"Don't." he growled through gritted teeth. "Don't you dare bring him into this."

**_But he helps you, does he not? He is the only way for me to completely disappear from your scattered thoughts. It truly is a shame that he doesn't care about you as much as you think._ **

"That's not true!" Tyler suddenly snapped, jerking his hands away from his hair to see teeny, tiny tufts of it lying in his palms. This is what he was trying to avoid, but it had already been done. Funny how the pain didn't affect him like it used to.

Blurryface's laugh mocked him as he brushed the hair off of his hands and clasped them together to keep them from doing any more harm.

**_He will never care for you as much as you care for him. I know he thinks of you as a chore nowadays, and you know that, too._ **

Tyler's eyes were now burning but he couldn't care less. Let him see how much he affected Tyler by using the one person he trusted and loved most against him.

"You are a liar." Tyler seethed, his face becoming more red as every second passed. "I'll never believe you! What you say isn't true at all."

**_Tyler, you know I'm being more than truthful. You are so dependent on the boy that you've fallen in love with him! How pathetic is that?_ **

And there it is. The truth. Tyler knew it, too. He was never going to escape it, and Blurryface would remind him of it until the day he died. In that case, make that day today.

Tyler couldn't help but allow a small smirk to make its way onto his lips as he finally found the will to stand from his bed. He walked out of his room, turned left and took a few steps, and turned right. There was his destination. He walked inside with a heavy heart and no intentions of changing his mind.

Blurryface was saying things but Tyler was determined enough to block him out. He could do this on his own. He didn't need Blurryface's degrading comments helping him along the way.

He grabbed what he needed with shaking hands and left the bathroom for the last time. He made his way back into his cold bedroom and shut and locked his door behind him. They'd have to break in to find him but that's alright. Sometimes suspense is a good thing when you already know what you'll be finding behind the door.

He took his usual seat on his bed and laid out the metal pieces on the fabric he was sitting on. Slowly, he rolled up his sleeves to reveal three year's worth of scars ranging from just scratching the surface to deep enough to be fatal. This time he'd have to go way deeper than the latter.

He contemplated whether he should waste a piece of paper from his current journal to write a note, but he decided against it. He had a better idea that didn't involve using paper and ink to express his feelings. His emotions and what he felt were deep and raw. They made Tyler the way he was today. Why not use a piece of himself to let them all out?

Slowly but surely he got to work, doing everything himself and not needing a single word from Blurryface to keep him going. These were Tyler's intentions, and even though Blurryface's goal was to kill him off, Tyler would much rather die without satisfying the demon inside of his head.

At first, the crimson liquid left his body in drips and drops that landed on his jeans and his neatly folded bedspread. At least he wouldn't have to use freezing water and soap to wash it out himself after this was all over. He felt bad for leaving such a mess for his family to clean up, but he thought of himself as the biggest mess of them all. To him, he was doing his family and everyone he knew a favor.

He had done enough damage on either forearm to feel lightheaded, and his senses were starting to become a little dull and fuzzy. He knew it would take some time, but he was already bleeding enough to start his idea now, so he got to work in order for it to be finished and dry by the time someone found him. He hoped he had done this at a reasonable time so no one would find him in the process.

He turned himself around and stared at the blank wall in front of him. It needed something creative added to it and he was surprised that he hadn't done anything until just about now. Blurryface was now a quiet mumbling in the back of the teenage boy's mind and he needed him like that for this to work out right.

Tyler let a small, faint smile grace his features as he thought of his second coping mechanism. He was a boy, his best friend. His lovely, caring best friend that took Tyler under his wing as soon as they had met. He was the only thing that had made Blurryface vanish completely whenever he was around. He changed Tyler's life, saved it, basically. Until now, but this was not Joshua Dun's fault. None of Tyler's self-harm or suicidal thoughts were ever Joshua's fault. He had saved him at first, but maybe Tyler just wasn't meant to be saved in the end.

Now Tyler was in love with him, and of course that was not a good thing. Blurryface had led Tyler to believe that Joshua would never love him the same, and even though Tyler knew he just wanted to bring him down, he still sort of believed him.

It wouldn't have worked out anyway. They were boys. Boys being in love with each other was weird, right? Tyler was always taught that as he grew up, but he was not sure if it was totally true anymore. What he was sure of was his undying love and affection for the boy who captivated him every time he came around. Too bad Tyler would never have a chance with him. At least Blurryface's taunting would finally be brought to an end.

Tyler brought up his dominant hand, his right, and reached forward with his bloody fingers. His vision was starting to become blurry. He wasn't sure if it was because he really was succeeding in bleeding out or if it was because he was starting to cry. Maybe it was a combination of both, but he still managed to write the beautiful boy's name in his own blood on his bedroom wall.

He took a moment to observe his messy handwriting. Maybe that wasn't a good idea because he could then feel the hot tears rolling down his face. He didn't care. He had to keep going or he wouldn't be able to finish what he started, so that's exactly what he did.

_Joshua, I love you. More than you know. The fact that you do not know is killing me. Well, not literally. I'm the one killing myself, but that's not important. What's important is what I said in the first sentence. I love you. And you never knew until now. Do not feel guilty. Do not be sad. Be happy for me, please, Joshua. Allow me to look down upon your smiling face so I can rest as easy as possible. If you do that, I promise to reciprocate everything you've done for me as your guardian angel, if you will. I'll keep you safe now that you've kept me safe this whole time. I could never thank you enough. You've made me the happiest I've ever been, and although I never got to hold you in a more intimate way, I'm okay with that. You were by my side, and that's all I ever really wanted. Joshua William Dun, I love you. I'm in love with you, and I always will be._

Tyler wiped his bloody fingers on his jeans lazily, then reached back up to wipe all the snot and tears from his very pale face. He looked over his note to Joshua that covered and decorated the area of his wall that was above his bed now. His handwriting had gotten worse towards the end because he could no longer control his violently shaking hands but he supposed that Joshua wouldn't mind. He hoped he wouldn't. That was the best he could do with the condition he was currently in.

Searching for oxygen was now the hardest thing to do, and it felt like his chest was caving in on him. Just to make sure everything would end as he had planned, he added some of the most deepest cuts closer to his elbows. The dark liquid now had no problem with exiting the fragile boy's body, and it was flowing in quicker and bigger amounts as every minute passed. The smell of his own blood did not bother him, for he could not smell it any longer. He suddenly fell back on his mattress, a quick blackout taking place before he weakly opened his eyes just to close them again once the light of his bedroom became too bright for him to handle.

The cuts did not burn or ache. They didn't hurt anymore, he felt numb. He was covered in the red liquid because his body just could not stop pumping it out now that Tyler had caused the damage he wanted. Just a few more minutes and the deed would be done.

He took a quick glance at the writing he left on his wall and let the biggest smile he could muster take over his face. He didn't have much energy left, but he was happy to know that he would be gone soon. He would be gone and in due time, Joshua would know.

The blackouts came every few seconds now and he wasn't sure he'd be awake for much longer. Breathing was becoming impossible and he was tempted to just hold his breath for the remainder of his time on this Earth. Instead, he used his last breath to say his last words that no one would hear but himself. Not even Blurryface because he was nowhere to be found.

"I was no good without you, Joshua. Don't forget about me, please."


	2. Always Tired, But Never of You

It was a low day, just like any other. Tyler never had many high days anymore. It was like he was never truly exhilarated unless he was on stage performing. Yes, they were on tour, but all it took was a one day break in between shows and Tyler was drained completely.

There were two reasons why Tyler felt so alive on stage- why his veins surged with blood in those very moments up on a platform where everyone could see him. Firstly, he had people to impress, people who were counting on him to make it the best night of their lives. Of course he was about to do that for them. It was like he was returning the favor since they gave him and Josh endless support. He _had_ to give them something in exchange.

The second reason was because _his_ Josh was up there with him. That music he played, those lyrics he sung wouldn't mean as much unless Josh was up there helping him get his message across. _Their_ message, actually. They were a team now. These lyrics spoke on behalf of the two of them. Tyler didn't just write about his own struggles. He's known Josh far long enough to know that any normal person could have demons as well any sad, depressed person could. And he's had his fair share of sleepless nights comforting Josh instead of Josh comforting him. Though, these nights without shows and without him and Josh really doing anything at all were the ones where Josh had to make everything better.

Tyler did this quite peculiar thing where he'd lay on his back in his bunk and stare at the ceiling of it for _hours._ Josh had no idea how he could do such a tedious activity, but Tyler was never a man to be underestimated, so Josh kept his curiosities to himself. When he didn't hear for Tyler for more than two hours, he knew he'd have to go check on him. He wouldn't admit it now, but it secretly scared him when Tyler didn't interact with him in _some_ way for a long time because who knows what state of mind he could be in at the time? It was just plain dangerous to leave a living, breathing, ticking time bomb alone for _any_ amount of time, at that. Josh worried that Tyler would explode whenever he'd crawl away from society.

Back to where we started; it was a low day. Exhilaration was low. Happiness was low. That meant Tyler was low. Josh wasn't high in the sense that you're all probably thinking of, but he was fairly content with his day so far and he needed to bring Tyler up to his level _at the least._ If he couldn't get Tyler to sort of enjoy his day, he knew something more serious was going on.

He left the lounge where he was watching _X-Files_ and migrated over to where their bunks were located. He couldn't hear anything but he knew that if he pulled back the curtain, Tyler would be laying there, gazing off into space. Oh, and indeed he was.

Josh sighed as he pushed the curtain out of the way, finding the boy with his hands neatly folded laying on top of his stomach while he lay perfectly stagnant. Not a muscle twitched in his body and Josh almost thought he wasn't breathing until he finally blinked and his chest rose a bit with it. The older male crouched down to the younger male's height and looked over his expressionless face.

"Tyler..." he started weakly. He really didn't know what else to say. It was sort of difficult to get him out of his little trances. "Tyler, come on."

Tyler sighed softly, blinking a couple times along with it, but that was all. Josh sighed again as well, but for a different meaning.

"Let's get you out of here, please?" Josh said to him, almost begging. If he had been on his knees with his hands in prayer, it would've been very convincing, but he was only on one knee, and his hands were reaching for Tyler's folded ones instead.

Finally Tyler acknowledged his presence, and his brown, innocent eyes flickered over to Josh's worry ridden face.

"I'm tired, Joshua Dun."

Josh only shook his head in disappointment. "You always say that, Tyler."

"Yeah, because I'm _always_ _tired_." Tyler stated matter-of-factly.

Josh just sighed again, but before he could do anything else, Tyler's eyes grew wide and he grabbed for one of Josh's hands.

"But never of you, though. I could never grow tired of you, Joshua. Please get me out of bed."

And so Josh got Tyler out of bed. He pulled him up and out of his cave and back into reality where he stood in front of the love of his life once again. Tyler was smiling now and that was all it took for him to feel more alive. Josh wasn't expecting a kiss on the cheek (all he did was drag him out of his bunk) but Tyler felt that a little affection was necessary. Boy, did Josh Dun really have a keeper.


	3. En Route

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one shot is inspired by the Heavydirtysoul music video.

It was evening. Tyler looked out of the window and saw orange and purple in the sky. A deep, deep blue was at the bottom in the midst of the trees. The car he was riding in was not colorful. It was black.

There was a man sat in the front. He was all black as well. He resembled a shadow, really. There was no color to him, _he must be like the car._ His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly. Tyler heard the leather of his gloves rubbing up against it. It hurt his ears, but he wasn't allowed to tell the man.

"Where are we going?" Tyler asked instead, peering around the front seat. He was met with his hood, black. No face. Tyler couldn't make it out, that is.

His head turned from the road for a second, his facial features not clear to Tyler as he saw more black. Tyler felt like something was clouding his vision, but it only did that when he looked at his face.

His cadence was nothing but deep and evil, and it seemed to echo throughout the car and inside Tyler's head. " _Morning, son."_

His voice hurt Tyler's ears as well, but he did not tell him that. He didn't understand what he meant by morning, but Tyler leaned back in his seat anyway. There was no one else there. He had to trust him.

They drove further. The entire side of Tyler's face was pressed against the window as he watched him begin to swerve the car over the yellow line. Tyler should have been worried, but he was actually the calmest he had been in awhile.

Tyler looked up and saw the sky, the colors gone and a dark, deep purple was spread across the sky like grape jelly. Tyler liked grape jelly. Not after what had happened, though. Joshua liked grape jelly, too. Tyler couldn't betray Joshua like that, so after the accident, he forced himself to not like it anymore.

Tyler blinked and moved his body to face forward again. He was really swerving now, but Tyler couldn't do anything about it. The man had all control. Also, Tyler really wasn't _allowed_ to be concerned. He wouldn't let him talk back. But then, all of a sudden, the words shot out of Tyler's mouth like bullets from a gun.

"Watch it!" he shouted, his eyes now wide with fear as he saw a flash of white and yellow. The tires screeched, Tyler's ears hurt more, and now his head hurt because he had smacked it into the driver's seat in front of him when the man slammed on the brakes.

Tyler lifted his head, his hands still planted firmly over his ears so no sounds could enter. He didn't want to hear anything. He didn't want to see anything either. He didn't see the driver, he was gone. The roof was gone as well. And the windows, and the doors. Just the seats remained where Tyler sat. There was nothing, until Tyler saw a body.

Lying in the middle of the road, Joshua was back. But why here? Why was Tyler being driven somewhere in the first place? He didn't remember getting in the car. Maybe he had forgotten.

He didn't forget Joshua's death, though. He was _dead._ Why was he _here_ , on the road? Tyler didn't know, but his hands were shaking and his breathing was heavy. That had to mean he still knew _something._

Tyler stumbled out, tripping over to where Joshua was. He fell to his knees, instantly reaching for his face. Tyler cradled it in his hands, his features were still the same. Just as beautiful like before. Nothing had changed. _Why_ was Joshua here?

Tyler felt a tear slide down his face, and he watched it fall onto Joshua's. He never meant to cry, but how could he not? This had to be a joke. _He_ _was_ _dead._ His eyes were closed, but Tyler wasn't stupid. He could see his chest moving. One question still remained; _why?_

Tyler stood, suddenly. The man was still nowhere to be found. He had just... disappeared. Tyler needed answers. Why was Joshua alive and well?

Tyler moved in a circle, the night sky enveloping him in the darkness. He was never going to make it to the morning now. He didn't like this place. Joshua wouldn't wake up.

Tyler shook his shoulders, he called his name. He even _kissed_ him for Christ's sake! Wouldn't Joshua remember Tyler?

He did not. He did not wake up, either. Tyler stood again, his legs wobbling. He was not stable. He could not stand any longer. Tyler fell again, straight onto his back. He had just tipped over like a bowling pin, hitting his elbows hard on the pavement.

Tyler's head hit the ground with a loud crack. His vision was messed up again, like it was when he saw the driver's face. It was different, though, this time. _Totally_ different.

He laid there, beside Joshua. Tyler couldn't blame Joshua now. He didn't want to wake up either. He wanted to do the complete opposite. He wanted to fall into a deep sleep and never open his eyes again.

So, Tyler grabbed Joshua's cold hand and told him, "Don't be afraid, Josh. We're going home." then he squeezed his blurry eyes shut, never allowing them to see the world again.


	4. Let's Go Swimming

It was hot and Tyler Joseph was miserable under the scorching sun. He didn't have to be out on the balcony deck of his apartment with a magazine in his hands while an ice cold strawberry lemonade sat on the table beside him. But, he _did_ have to get that good summer tan before anyone else. He probably didn't even need to be out anytime else except for now considering the boy already had pretty tan skin and it wasn't hard for him to get that beautiful golden look to him. Everyone desired it in the summer time, including Tyler. Unlike the others though, all he had to do was just sweat his butt off one time and he would be set for the rest of June and July for sure.

The boy huffed out a sigh, setting his copy of this month's _People_ magazine down and squinting up at the sun through his Ray-Ban sunglasses. California was a hot place, much hotter than Ohio, but he loved it here. It's where all the celebrities were, as well as all the fashion and fun stuff that he was in to. Josh and him had moved out here as soon as they had the money to do so. It was Tyler's dream to live in L.A., and he was finally here. Sweating was not particularly his most favorite thing to do, but he'd endure it if it meant he'd get a tan that was better than all the fake ones the people walking around this city wore.

He smiled to himself, already thinking about what he could do tomorrow even though it was only about noon present day. Maybe he and Josh could go shopping in the stores lining the popular streets for the one millionth time, it seemed. Maybe they'd have a nice lunch date out at one of the many top notch dining places in the heart of the city. Maybe they could even-

"Ty, let's go swimming!" Josh shouted enthusiastically, skipping outside onto the patio tiling of their balcony deck after shutting the sliding door behind him.

Tyler jumped a bit, not expecting his boyfriend to come out and surprise him like that while he was dreaming of all the daily activities they could take part in in this lovely place. He turned around in his chair, smiling as he caught sight of the bubbly, pink-haired boy now walking towards him. They had dyed it together a few weeks ago, ignoring the fact that they could've gone to a real professional hairdresser who would've asked for lots of money to do it considering they were in Los Angeles. They wanted to spend time together, not spend all their money on someone who would do it for them without any fun to it. Tyler had picked such a vibrant color because Josh had asked him to pick his favorite.

"Swimming, huh?" Tyler said, raising his eyebrows over the top rims of his sunglasses, and Josh just chuckled at him, plopping down in the chair next to him.

"Yes, swimming. You've been out here long enough, plus you could just finish your tan while having fun with me in some water! It'd cool us down, too." His brown eyes were bright, and Tyler just couldn't say no to the love of his life, so he agreed.

"Gosh, you're the best." Josh told him, the fond look he was giving him never fading as he brought his face to Tyler's, kissing him lovingly.

They had gathered the things they would need, like sunblock, towels, and some bottled water to stay hydrated, and changed into their swimsuits before they left. Tyler's swim trunks were a bright pink color to coincidentally match Josh's hair while Josh's trunks were blue and white. They left the apartment with no time to waste and arrived at a small, private pool just down the road from them. Yes, they could've driven to the beach since they weren't that far from it at all, but Tyler didn't feel like cleaning sand out of places it shouldn't be afterward, and Josh wouldn't make his baby do anything he didn't want to, so the pool was the next best thing.

This pool was privately owned, and you had to know the owner well to be able to get into it. Thankfully, Tyler knew _exactly_ who Brendon Urie was, and they were quite good friends, so all he had to do was give him a quick call on the way there and they were in. They met Brendon at the entrance gate, exchanged some small talk, and were let inside. It was just going to be them today, that's what Brendon had told them. The beach must have been jam packed.

Josh hurried inside, Tyler trailing behind with his pool bag hanging off his shoulder. Josh was already throwing off his muscle tee and slipping off his shoes before Tyler could get to where he was. He glanced at Josh's upper body, mentally thanking God once again for blessing him with not only a friendly, kind-hearted man, but a fit, good-looking one as well. He loved Josh, and he loved having him in his life.

Josh was quick to apply sunblock before he jumped into the pool, making a big splash. Tyler giggled as he took his time making his way over to where Josh had put his stuff, watching the older boy all the while. He popped his head back up, his pink curls now straightening out and sticking to his forehead. Tyler threw off his white tank top and slipped off his sandals, quickly putting on more sunblock to add to the amount that he had on from tanning so he could get in as well.

He couldn't contain his giggles as he ran and jumped in beside Josh. He came up to the surface with Josh's face right in front of his, his uncontrollable giggles making Josh laugh with him. Josh quickly pecked his lips, then disappeared under the water. Tyler just shook his head in amusement and followed after him.

They messed around for a while, swimming after each other and talking about things of the littlest importance. Tyler was in the middle of listing off multiple reasons why he despised bananas even though Josh already knew why when Josh suddenly splashed him in the face. The diva stood appalled as he rubbed the water out of his eyes, staring in shock at Josh as the older male tried to contain his laughter, biting his lip.

"Oh, you are _dead._ " Tyler snickered, bringing his arm back and making a wave of water go straight for Josh, splashing him in the face as well. Tyler pumped his arms up in the air as a sign of victory, a smirk on his lips, until Josh wiped it right off his face with a bigger splash than last time. Now it was war.

The boys splashed each other and chased after each other until their arms and legs could take no more struggling to move through the water. Josh breathed in and out heavily and held up his hands in defeat.

"Truce, truce! You got me, Ty, you win." Josh called out, backing away from the happy-faced boy and began floating on his back so he could relax.

"Yes! Ain't nobody gettin' past Queen Tyler." Tyler boasted his triumph, folding his arms over his chest in a sassy manor.

Josh just chuckled at his response and closed his eyes as he focused on staying above the water. Tyler watched his boyfriend as he laid peacefully, the water moving only slightly under his tranquil body. Tyler decided he was tired as well, and tried floating beside the boy he loved. Note the word _tried._

Tyler shrieked when he felt his lower half falling, and pretty soon his whole body was submersed below the surface. He shot back up, frustrated over the fact that Josh could float and he couldn't. Josh was chuckling at the pouting boy as he moved back to a standing position.

"C'mere, let me help you, baby." Josh cooed jokingly, holding his arms out for the younger boy. Tyler reluctantly moved towards Josh, not being able to keep up the stubborn facade he had going.

He smiled softly when Josh grabbed onto his hips, holding him gently like he always did. He once told Tyler he held him the way he did because he just seemed so fragile, like porcelain, and he didn't want to break him whenever he held him. He was much smaller than Josh, _definitely_ having way less muscle than Josh as well. He thought it was cute, the way Josh handled him.

Josh then moved one hand to the small of his back, then the other to the back of his head, telling him to relax his muscles as he laid backwards. There he was, floating on top of the water with Josh's much-needed help. Then, Josh moved his hands in a quick motion, Tyler staying in the same position even though he was startled by Josh's sudden movements. A huge smile made it's way to Josh's beautiful face.

"Look, you're doing it!" he shouted excitedly, clapping his hands together. Tyler thought it was silly, how happy he had gotten, and it made him fall right under as soon as he quit paying attention to staying still and started admiring the boy before him.

He came up to meet Josh, the pink-haired boy moving forward and hugging him all of a sudden. Tyler hugged back nonetheless, enjoying every second he spent in Josh's arms. He felt warm and safe there always. It was one of his favorite places to be, with Josh.

"Love you, Tyler." he mumbled, running his fingers through his drenched brown hair and Tyler swore his heart was melting all over his other organs at that moment.

He pulled Josh closer somehow, burying his face in his chest and smelling the chlorine on his skin. "Love you too, Joshy."

Then he was pulled back, Josh's calloused but gentle hands holding his face, their eyes locked as they stayed like that for a bit. Tyler watched a small smile creep onto Josh's pinks lips, wanting to kiss him now more than ever. Before he could make the move, Josh leaned in and connected their lips passionately. Tyler knew he had never been, and never would be in love with anyone else as much as he was with Josh.

They had decided to get out of the pool after sharing that loving moment together. Josh had grabbed Tyler's towel, wrapping it around the boy for him and making sure he was comfortable. He then grabbed his own towel, not really drying off that much since he considered that mother nature's job. Josh then made sure Tyler drank some water before they put on their shoes and started heading back to their apartment building.

Tyler got a better tan than he expected that day. The pool was definitely a much more refreshing way to be out in the sun to get the tan he strived for. Josh had complimented him on it as soon as they had arrived home, not being able to wait to see his boyfriend in some of the bright summer clothes he had bought in past shopping trips.

Yes, Tyler was grateful for the amazing tan he received by taking that pool trip, but he was also extremely grateful for the time he got to spend with the boy he was in love with, and the boy himself, Joshua Dun. He was always caring for Tyler and looking out for him, wanting the absolute best for him. He couldn't thank Josh enough. Tyler had no idea what he'd do without him.


	5. Mess

Everything about Tyler Joseph was messy: his room, his hair, his writing, his mind, and his entire life. He didn't think he'd ever be able to organize anything properly, so he lived with the messes he had made. And believe me, it was not that easy for him.

Tyler would've thought that by now, someone would've come along and helped him clean up a little bit. He once thought that maybe everyone was afraid of his disorganization and thought he was weird or something. He felt bad, mostly for himself, but he couldn't help it. He really wanted to be free of all the clutter, but no solutions ever seemed to rise.

The reason behind all of this disorderliness was partly the effect of living itself, but also this voice in his head that spoke nonsense which he often listened to. This voice was always wrecking Tyler's mind and his thoughts, but it was only able to do just that, so that led Tyler to wreck everything else that it couldn't. That included his room, his hair, his writing, and it made a huge contribution to wrecking his entire life. It was all the voice's fault, not Tyler's.

He had told himself numerous times to shut him out, but even his quietest whispers sounded like blood curdling screams. He was always so loud and Tyler hated all the ruckus he made. Pretty soon, after all that, Tyler had a new problem, a new mess- he hated the silence as well.

When he would overcome the voice, and his messes were paused for the moment, there was was nothing but the quiet. It felt foreign when there was no voice up there telling him what to do. Worse things had happened at times like those, so he became conflicted with what he should do because it got bad either way.

In conclusion, maybe Tyler Joseph was never meant to have a clean life. Maybe he was supposed to have his only friend be a voice up in his head that trashed everything he tried to fix. Maybe no one was ever supposed to come along and help him out with what he had been dealing with all this time. _Maybe_.

But all that changed the day he met Josh Dun.

It was a bad, messy day, just like any other in the life of Tyler Joseph. He was out back on the mini basketball court his father had somebody pour concrete for years ago because, _"With those skills, he's meant to be a basketball star!"_ It's a miracle he was able to dribble a basketball and make three-pointers without any problems at all with what his life has been. His coordination and agility skills were actually really good for who he was, and it amazed him how the voice hadn't ruined that for him yet.

All he was doing was shooting his usual five hundred before dinner. His mother, Kelly, was making said dinner inside, and the teenager knew her watchful eyes were on him every time she passed the kitchen window. He just sighed and shot the ball with great technique, earning him a perfect two-pointer considering he had moved up a bit when his mom wasn't watching. He knew if he kept doing that she'd soon see him though, so he caught ahold of the basketball and made his way back behind the three point line.

Just as he was about to make another effortless score, something caught his eye. His gaze was then focused on a soccer ball that had landed a few feet away from the small court and rolled a few more centimeters before stopping. His head immediately shot up, looking for any suspects who might own the ball and were coming to get it. Tyler then spotted a boy who looked to be about his age with dark curls and pale skin jumping the fence that lined the backyard of the house behind his. Once he hit the ground, the boy snapped his head up, and that's when Tyler's plain brown eyes met his beautiful chocolate ones. Yes, they were the same color, but Tyler found more beauty in the stranger boy's than his own. Shooting his nightly five hundred was now completely forgotten about.

Tyler watched carefully as the boy gave him a shy nod before gluing his eyes to the grass. He made his way over to where the soccer ball had stopped and quickly picked it up, ready to turn and make a dash for it, but Tyler's high-pitched voice brung him to a halt.

"Hey," he started, moving the basketball to his hip and holding it there with his arm. "I'm not sure I know you. Then again, I don't know most of our neighbors, so..."

All Tyler wanted was a conversation with the boy, but _no_ , he had to make it all awkward and stupid-sounding right off the bat. He wouldn't loudly exclaim this to the whole world, but he did hate himself sometimes. He didn't want to seem weaker than he already was by giving people another thing to add to the list of things wrong with him, but he'd tell his family if he was forced to. Self-hatred wasn't _that_ big of a deal, was it?

The boy swallowed hard and the only reason Tyler knew that was because he had heard it from the few feet of distance between. "U-Uh, well I- My name is... M-My name is Joshua. Wait, don't call me that! Oh, shoot, sorry I-I..." his words were jumbled and mixed together and Tyler could barely hear him considering he was speaking so low.

Tyler suddenly felt selfish because of all the complaining he had done in the past that was linked to his never ending messiness. Right here before him, another boy was messy as well, but with his words instead of his life. At least, that was the mess that Tyler was able to detect first and foremost. Tyler felt bad for _him_ , not himself.

"Hey, don't feel down. Here, I'll start. My name is Tyler Joseph. There, now try again." Tyler smiled, waiting for the boy to try and clean up his wreck of a sentence he tried getting out earlier.

Tyler wasn't trying to insult the way the boy talked, he was only stating it the way he had been describing his own messes all his life. Unlike Tyler's messes though, he wanted to help clear up this boy's first. Tyler would wait all night if he could, just until the boy would be comfortable with him and the way his words fell out of his mouth.

He watched the boy take a deep breath, then his beautiful eyes flickered back up to Tyler's a few times but he never kept the eye contact. Suddenly, he opened his mouth and his sentence was flawless, though it was shorter.

"I already know who you are." he said quietly, seeming very interested in the soccer ball then as he traced the black lines indented into it. Tyler spotted the blush rising on his cheeks easily but acted like he didn't know it was there so he wouldn't make the boy feel more embarrassed than it already seemed he was.

Tyler decided that he liked this boy's voice now, but he wasn't sure how to react to what was said with it. He furrowed his eyebrows, trying to sort everything out in his head quickly so he could at least focus on the situation at hand.

"Well, that's interesting, I suppose. I'm sorry I don't know who you are. Could you tell me now?" Tyler suggested, raising his right eyebrow a bit. The boy nodded, a firm look taking over his once unsure expression.

"M-My name is Josh. Joshua Dun, t-to be exact." he stuttered, but he tried and that's all that mattered to Tyler. Tyler gave up on cleaning his messes a long time ago, but this boy, Joshua, was willing to. That intrigued Tyler, and he felt as though he needed to try sometime, just for Joshua.

Tyler allowed a smile to take over his lips. "That's a nice name. I'll think we'll get along real well if you'd like to get to know me more."

Joshua only gave Tyler a small smile in return, and that was all Tyler needed to drop the basketball that was still in his hands to go inside to get his phone so getting his new friend's number could become a possibility.

He turned, immediately bumping into someone and just like that, he himself was a big, heaping mess on the ground. He heard a captivating sound, a laugh, and it could only belong to Joshua since his mother was standing above him and she looked nowhere near happy. Joshua's laughing was soon silenced as Tyler watched Kelly give the dark-haired boy a death glare, then moved it down to Tyler. He heard fast shuffling that quickly faded away and he knew Joshua was gone.

"What in God's name do you think you're doing out here talking to one of the Dun boys? I know for a fact that you have not completed five hundred shots yet and that's what I expect from an all-star basketball player. Get to it, Tyler, or you know the consequences." she strictly informed him, leaving it clear as day as to what he was supposed to be doing. He just sighed as she walked away, acting like not feeding her son dinner for the night just because he didn't shoot some hoops wasn't showing at least a _little_ bit of extreme parenting.

What if Tyler suddenly grew tired of basketball? What if the voice decided it was time to make his only hobby a huge disaster as well? That's when Tyler was able to make his decision about what he was going to do.

The seventeen year old got up off of the concrete with a smile that was bigger than any other he had ever wore on his skinny face. He kicked the basketball out of his way as he crossed the yard, then entering the Dun's property. The smile never left his face as he went to the front door like a civil, organized person would even though he was far from that, and knocked.

He was on a mission to fix the disarray his life had become, and it was all because of a boy who he knew for no more than five minutes that influenced him to. He already knew Joshua had a few messes of his own as well, and Tyler felt like fixing their disorderliness together would be the perfect combination to make everything proper and clean again.


	6. Work It Out

Tyler and Jenna were out browsing the shops of the town they were in for that night's show when Tyler's phone rang. They had just stepped out of a small restaurant in which they had lunch when his ringtone went off. The couple exchanged curious looks while Tyler moved his few shopping bags to one hand and got out his phone with the other. Jenna watched on as he answered the call.

"Hello?"

" _...Tyler, I-I... Please c-come back to the bus._ " Josh's shaky voice had come through the speaker, and as soon as Tyler had accepted the call, it was over.

The man held his phone in his hands, staring down at it while his mind raced with thoughts pertaining to Josh's current condition. Was he okay? Why did he need Tyler back at the bus? What was going on? Tyler was so confused, but he didn't let that stop him. His best friend obviously needed him urgently and he'd be there for him in a heartbeat.

"Who was it?" Jenna asked, twirling her shopping bags around in her hands while peering over at Tyler.

"It was Josh. He said he needs me back at the bus. I don't think he's alright, Jen." Tyler told her, increasingly becoming more worried for Josh as every second passed.

Jenna's piercing blue eyes widened a bit at Tyler's words. "Oh, no. We should probably pick up the pace then."

Just like that, the two were off. Of course Jenna was concerned for Josh's current state, but she knew she could never care for him as much as Tyler did. She took note of his frantic movements as they practically ran back to where the buses were, Tyler dropping his bags at Jenna's feet and breaking into a full sprint once the first bus came into view. She stopped then, just watching him run for his life, it seemed. She really hoped it wasn't that big of a deal so the both of them could just calm down and relax. Tyler and Josh really didn't need a huge ordeal going on right then considering they had a show to play that night.

Tyler didn't mean to abandon his wife, but a million bad scenarios that Josh could be in at the moment flashed before his eyes and he just needed to make sure it wasn't anything too major. If anything happened to Josh in that way, Tyler didn't know _what_ he would do with himself. He was supposed to be there for Josh whenever he needed him, and he'd surely do it. He wasn't about to let anything super drastic happen to his very own best friend.

He had flung open the door and was met with an small, empty lounging area. He thought Josh would be there waiting for him. What if he couldn't get to him though? Was he hurt? _Josh, please be okay._

"Josh? Josh, where are you?" Tyler called out, about to do a whole search of the bus if it meant he'd find where Josh was.

Just then, he heard a few thumps from the back area. Right after those, there was a louder thump, and then there were fast footsteps until Tyler saw a flash of black clothing and curly red hair. Then, he was hit with another body and he realized it was Josh hugging the absolute life out of him. He could hear sniffling and whimpering and his heart broke at the sounds. So Josh was alright physically, but if he was crying, how could he be alright mentally?

"Josh," Tyler started softly, rubbing his back gently. "Josh, what happened? Why are you crying?"

Josh didn't answer. He just shoved his face more into Tyler's neck and held a stronger grip around his torso. All Tyler could do was sigh.

"Joshua," Tyler said, a bit more sternly this time but only because he wanted him to look at him.

Eventually Josh's head lifted and Tyler was met with bloodshot chocolate eyes and wet, flushed cheeks. The sight tore at him. He hated seeing his closest friend so upset. Nothing should ever make Josh feel this bad. There would be hell to pay for whatever or whoever did this to him.

"What's wrong?" Tyler said just above a whisper, moving his hand to cup Josh's face so he could wipe some of the tears away.

Josh just shook his head and said in a broken voice, "It's dumb, but... but she uh- she broke up with me."

He had his head turned away from Tyler and it seemed as though he was beginning to curl in on himself, like he was ashamed to tell his best friend that his girlfriend had broken up with him. To Tyler, though, it wasn't dumb and he shouldn't have been ashamed of it. Tyler never thought too highly of Debby anyway. She didn't deserve such a great guy like Josh. She had no idea she was throwing away a complete gem. How dare she treat him like that!

Tyler's eyebrows were furrowed together in a mean looking way. Josh had finally met his gaze again and was a little taken back to see an angry look on his face.

"Tyler, i-it's fine. Don't get m-mad, I was a bad b-boyfriend anyway." Josh tried, but Tyler wasn't having any of it.

"Don't lie about yourself, Josh. You're amazing, for God's sake! _Obviously_ she couldn't see that. She never treated you for what you're worth in the first place. You deserve so much better." Tyler ranted, stepping away from Josh and flailing his arms about in a frustrated manner.

Josh almost started laughing at how mad Tyler was getting over _his_ girlfriend dumping him, plus Jenna had just walked in and she was giving him such a puzzled look. He didn't though, he was still too sad to laugh even though Tyler looked pretty funny then.

"Tyler!"

"What?!" he shouted, turning sharply to look at Josh. Then he realized the tone of his voice and the look on Josh's face made him want to take back what he said immediately. "I'm sorry, Josh. It's just- She did you dirty. You're wonderful, okay? Don't ever let anyone tell you different. Don't let them treat you different either. Please remember that, for me. Promise?"

Tyler held out his pinky like a child would, and Josh couldn't help but let a small smile creep its way onto his lips when he promised Tyler and hooked their pinkies together. Jenna was in the background, fawning over their beautiful friendship as their pinkies unhooked and Tyler brought Josh in for another much-needed hug.

Josh didn't mean to feel selfish at the moment, and he didn't mean to let the feelings he had been trying to bury resurface from deep inside when he whispered to Tyler, "Can you please come lay down with me for a little bit?" but it still happened. And nevertheless, Tyler just couldn't deny his request. Best friends do anything for each other. Tyler and Josh bided by that rule every day of their lives.

Josh also didn't mean to feel impatient when Tyler had to tell Jenna they'd be relaxing for a while. He didn't mean for a smirk to crawl onto his lips once Tyler had stopped paying attention to her and was focused solely on him. He didn't mean to feel those things, but he didn't have a girlfriend to distract himself from feeling those things either. His old lovey dovey feelings for his best friend were back, and it was going to be a pain to keep them under control once again. Especially now that Tyler and Jenna were married, and he wouldn't be able to get as close to Tyler as he used to.

Cuddling was still in the picture though, and Josh was thanking God the very minute that he and Tyler were settling themselves in Josh's bunk. He had gotten comfortable with Tyler way too fast, already cuddling up beside him and laying his head on his chest. Tyler thought nothing of it, just his best friend needing some extra TLC after having his now ex-girlfriend break up with him, so he wrapped his arm around his waist with ease. Josh yawned and Tyler couldn't help but admire the way his face scrunched up when he did so.

"Ty, I'm gonna take a nap." Josh said lazily, scooting closer to Tyler's body and basically gluing himself to his side.

Tyler smiled, "Okay, Jish. Get some rest, we've got a big show tonight." then he did something without thinking. It was something they used to do when they cuddled, but it had stopped once Tyler and Jenna got closer. Tyler had kissed Josh's head lightly, just like he used to do when they fell asleep together. It wasn't supposed to be weird or anything, it was just something he did as a goodnight gesture. He and Josh were definitely good enough friends to do so, but now it was a little awkward because he hadn't done it in so long.

Josh's eyes immediately snapped open. The spot on his head where Tyler's soft, plump lips had been was tingling. He felt like his insides were melting, but that didn't stop him from cautiously resting his arm over Tyler's torso in response.

Tyler had no idea what to do, or if he should even do anything after that. All Josh did was drape his arm over his stomach, no biggie. It didn't seem like he was weirded out by the interaction, so maybe he should stop worrying about it so much. He just kissed his best friend on the head before he fell asleep, is all. He needed the affection anyway.

After that, things were alright. Tyler was actually starting to drift off when he felt Josh move beside him. He opened his eyes at the movement and saw Josh propped up on his elbow, looking at him. Tyler just smiled sleepily.

"What? I thought you were asleep." Tyler said, turning on his side to face Josh better.

Josh had this look of thought and concentration on his face. His eyebrows were knitted together and he was biting at his lip. He would look Tyler dead in the eyes every once in awhile. The sudden behavior change was strange to Tyler. One minute he was sad and tired, the next he was deep in thought.

"Josh? Wh-" But Josh had cut him off before he could finish.

"Can I do something?" he had asked, his voice not all that strong and confident. Tyler just stared at him confusedly.

"I guess? Well, what are you gonna do?" Tyler sort of chuckled out the words as though what Josh was about to do wasn't a big deal because he didn't know that, _obviously_.

Josh brought up his pinky this time, his eyes never leaving Tyler's as he spoke. "Promise me you won't leave me or whatever after I do this. Promise me you'll still be my best friend and you'll still be there for me and _please_ promise me you won't kick me out of the band."

Tyler laughed at his words, not being able to think of anything so bad that he would stop being best friends with Josh over it. Nonetheless, he connected their pinkies once again, and he heard Josh let out a big, deep breath.

"I'm just- I'm just gonna do it. Oh, Gosh, here goes nothing." Josh mumbled, and before Tyler knew it, Josh was pressing his lips against Tyler's with all the confidence he could gather up.

Tyler was shocked by the action, but surprised himself more when his eyes fluttered shut and he felt himself kissing back. Pretty soon Josh was pressing Tyler down into the bunk's mattress as he crawled on top of him, hovering over his body as their lips made desperate attempts to stay connected during the movement. His hands were shaking as he grabbed onto Tyler's hips and Tyler just couldn't resist moving his hands up to run through Josh's messy curls. The exchange was so different to Tyler but he couldn't deny the fact that he was enjoying it. He'd have to add the taste of Josh's lips to his list of favorite things after it was all over.

Too bad it couldn't have gone on any longer. Just as Josh pulled away and began kissing, biting, and licking his way down Tyler's neck, the younger male realized what crime he was committing and reluctantly pushed Josh away. Tyler could tell Josh was confused, but once he gave him this look, he understood. Reality came sinking back in, seeping through his skin and weighing him down once he realized that Jenna, Tyler's _wife_ , was just in the other room.

Josh felt like crying all over again. He wanted to curl up in a ball and never show himself to the world ever again. He _knew_ he shouldn't have done that but it was a heat-of-the-moment type thing. The feeling of Tyler's lips on his head again was just too good. He just had to be selfish and had to know what they felt like against his own lips. He had always wanted to know what that felt like. At least his wish was granted, but it came with a price.

"Josh..." Tyler started, looking over at the older male who was now curling in on himself just like he wanted to do. "Please look at me."

He didn't want to, but he didn't want to disobey Tyler either. They needed to talk it out if they ever wanted to get over it. He tilted his head upwards just the slightest so he could see Tyler looking down upon him with sympathetic eyes. Josh felt terrible.

"It's okay. I understand now. At least, I think I do. You did that because you actually like me in that way, right? Not because you needed something to get your mind off of Debby?" Tyler questioned him hopefully. Why would his own best friend use him? Now _that_ was dumb.

"No! Of course I'm not using you in any way to get over her! I- uh, I do... like you in that way, though." Josh finally admitted, letting his eyes look anywhere but at Tyler's face. Little did he know that Tyler was smiling the softest smile he could possibly muster at his shy behavior.

"Well then it's alright. But you do know what this means though, correct? You know I can't reciprocate any feelings because I'm in love with Jenna, but listen to me, Josh. I do love you, I really do, but not in that way. I'm sorry that this doesn't work out, but I promised I wouldn't leave you because of all that and I certainly won't. We can learn to get through this together." Tyler explained, and Josh knew all of it was the truth. He'd end up accepting every bit of it because it was indeed the truth and Tyler convinced him they'd be able to work it out.

"Okay... I believe you. I know how much you love Jenna. I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry, Tyler." Josh apologized shamefully, but Tyler just waved him off.

"No need to apologize. What's done is done. Plus I kind of led you on a bit because I kissed back, so..." Tyler trailed off, chuckling a bit nervously as his cheeks grew red, and Josh was smiling and laughing in no time.

"Yeah, you're right." he said more cheerfully. "So, we're still bros?"

Tyler only grinned from ear to ear at those words, nodding his head before bringing him into a hug in the small, cramped space. "Of course, Joshua. Always."


	7. The Good Old Days

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's an edit: I DO NOT SUPPORT MELANIE MARTINEZ ANYMORE! I wrote this one shot before she was accused of her past actions and I do not agree with what she did. I will not be changing her character in this one shot but I just wanted to let you all know.

Tyler was used to the cold concrete. He was comfortable with it. It was all he was ever sure of anymore. Other things, not so much.

He sat on the concrete floor with his aching back pressed against the concrete wall. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the yellow glow, but he chose to ignore it. It was one of those days where he was feeling guilty again. He couldn't face him then, it wouldn't go well.

His across-the-hall neighbor stared back at him through the bars separating them. He had had conversations with her at night for the past six months he had been there. She wasn't afraid to tell him she murdered her boyfriend because she thought he was planning to kill her first. Tyler was too ashamed to tell her what he did, so he just listened to her stories and kept her company. Though she was usually a feisty, independent girl, Tyler could tell when she was scared or feeling more alone than ever. He was never ashamed to stay up with her all night and listen to her raspy voice echo back to him.

He brushed his forever-stained fingers against the concrete beneath him. He stared emotionlessly at his digits, the joints in his fingers hurting with every move he made. His entire body hurt these days, but he used his hands the most. They suffered the worst of the storm.

"Joseph?" her grungier cadence traveled over to him. He did not answer. He didn't even look up at her.

"Tyler, what're you doing?" she asked, crawling over to the bars and resting against them, daring to dangle her tattoo-covered arms outside of her cell.

Tyler just fixed his eyes on her face and made no other movements. He could feel him watching but he didn't want to look at him. He wasn't feeling up to any interactions tonight. Truth was, he just didn't want to disappoint him again.

" _Tyler..._ "

His voice was like honey, and Tyler didn't mean to whip his head in his direction so fast but he couldn't help it. He tried denying him but he always found a way to sneak under Tyler's thick skin. He just knew Melanie was giving him a confused look but he didn't care. He cared more about Josh now that he had finally acquired his attention.

_"Why are you ignoring me?"_

Tyler almost teared up at the look on his face. That sad, lonely look. He knew all too well what being sad and lonely felt like. Never did he _ever_ want Josh to feel like that, but never did he ever think he'd be the reason _why_ Josh felt that way now.

Tyler just shook his head and looked away to hide his glossy eyes. He ended up settling his gaze on Melanie again, and she was staring at him, but not like he was insane. They were all considered crazy there, and she understood that Tyler talked to... _something._ She just didn't know that it was Josh.

_"Tyler, please look at me."_

His voice was louder, and Tyler nearly jumped out of his skin when he noticed Josh was in his cell. Melanie jumped back too, but only because Tyler had startled her.

"J-Josh..." Tyler mumbled, looking over every inch of his glowing, yellow body. Everything about him was bright: his eyes, his skin, his hair... except for his clothes. They were always black, and they contrasted against Tyler's usual orange jumpsuit.

Josh only smiled at him sadly, sitting on Tyler's metal bed across from where Tyler sat on the concrete by the bars of his cell. This was not a good time, Tyler would certainly start crying soon, but Josh didn't give in. He'd wait all night until Tyler talked to him.

_"Ty, it's okay. I think you can do it this time. Please?"_

Tyler had his face buried in his knees, his tears soaking the orange clothing. Somehow he _knew_ Josh wouldn't leave him this time. He's been trying to get Tyler to talk for the whole six months of him being at the prison, and this was the time where he wouldn't leave until he spoke up.

Josh scared the shit out of Tyler the first night he showed up. He made Tyler feel like he should've been put in an asylum, not just a prison. Soon enough, he became used to his visits and also realized what Josh wanted. An explanation, most likely. Maybe a goodbye, too. Tyler would've given him one the very first night if he hadn't been so shook up and if he actually _had_ an explanation as to why he killed his best friend.

"I-I... I can't-" Tyler whispered out, lifting his head and sneaking a glance at Josh. "I can't r-remember, Josh."

Josh wasn't looking at him anymore. He was looking at his hands, fidgeting with them in his lap. He wasn't sad-smiling anymore. He just looked drained. It even looked as though his yellow glow had dulled. Tyler felt horrible.

_"You always say that, Tyler. I-I mean I believe you, but... Just promise me you're not lying?"_

Tyler immediately shook his head. He wouldn't lie about something as serious as this. If only he could remember, maybe his best friend would finally be at peace.

"Josh, I'm- I'm s-so sorry." Tyler's voice shook as he talked, his sincere brown eyes burning into Josh's face. He felt Melanie's brown eyes burning into his own face too, but he didn't look at her.

Josh just looked up, nodding, but nothing was found in his expression. No hope, no happiness. Tyler didn't even know if he really forgave him or not. Tyler took Josh's _life_ away from him, for God's sake! How could he _ever_ forgive him for doing that?

_"Come sit with me, Tyler."_

Tyler stood abruptly, looking over at Melanie and silently thanking her for crawling away from the bars and going to bed. He sat anxiously beside Josh, feeling no heat from his presence whatsoever. He was just air. He was _nothing_ , but then he was everything at the same time. It confused Tyler how his spirit could come back to the living world.

He watched Josh scoot closer and rest his head on his shoulder, but he couldn't feel him at all. He couldn't reciprocate anything and it killed him. He just wanted to touch his best friend again. He wanted him to be _alive._ Most of all, Tyler wanted to take his place.

_"I've missed you, Ty."_

Tyler felt like his entire body was freezing up but he still nodded to show Josh he heard him. He had no idea what to do after that. His breathing was unsteady and his heart was going a mile a minute. He guessed that's what a ghost's energy did to you when they were close. He didn't mind, though. Not when it was Josh.

All of a sudden, rattling was heard from down the hall. He then heard heavy footsteps, and he knew it was a guard doing his rounds. If he wasn't in bed, he was definitely going to pay for it. He learned that the hard way the first month he was here.

"Josh... I-I gotta get to bed." Tyler told him, their eyes meeting in an equally depressing exchange.

_"Right. Well, I'll leave you to it. Goodnight, Tyler."_

His glowing began to die down as he draped his arms over Tyler's shoulders, making his chest touch his. Tyler still couldn't feel him, it wasn't any different, and he wanted to scream until he lost his voice for good. He did this. He did this to Josh, and he brought everything else that ensued upon himself. It was all his fault, and yet he didn't even know _why_ he did it.

He watched through teary eyes as Josh stood with that same sad smile, his entire being fading out as he walked away through the bars of Tyler's cell and disappeared. Again, Tyler felt empty. He felt like Josh did all the time now- sad and lonely. He felt every bad feeling at that moment. And it didn't change when he laid down and tried to remember every good feeling he ever felt when he had spent time with Josh while he was alive. He then realized that those happy times would remain in the past. Things would only be better back in the good old days, and things only got worse from here on out.


	8. Where Have You Been?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one shot is one of the cutest and purest I've ever written! Good luck getting through it without cooing at these two loverboys!!!

Tyler Joseph was Joshua Dun's best friend, and has been for nine years. They've been completely inseparable since they day they met. They always spent every waking moment with each other, so when Tyler didn't show up to school for three straight days during their first year of high school, Joshua had nearly gone insane without him.

It was December, and the cold was really eating away at the whole city of Columbus. Temperatures were starting to drop into the negatives, and that didn't even include the windchill. Everyone was miserable, even with Christmas quickly approaching. Joshua knew that weather like this wasn't good for anyone, especially Tyler, but he had never gone so far as to miss school because of it.

Maybe it wasn't just the weather's fault. It was winter, which meant that the days grew shorter and night came faster. Night was never a good time for Tyler Joseph. He has always had trouble sleeping, and he had a slight fear of the dark. Joshua had tried his best to help Tyler get better at dealing with the night and what it had to offer in the past, but they never really got anywhere. It always ended up with Tyler just begging Joshua to stay with him again, which he didn't mind doing at all. He liked being there for his best friend. That's what best friends are for.

But then, during those three straight days of no Tyler Joseph in freshman year, Joshua couldn't be there for his best friend, and it was killing him. He had no idea what he was going through, and there was no way for him to find out because telephone poles kept freezing up, and they lived across town from each other. On the first day of his absence Joshua was bent on going over to his house to see him, but his mother wouldn't allow him to walk out in the negative ten degree weather.

_"I don't care how much you're worried about him, Josh! I can't let you go out in that stuff."_

It was whatever. Josh would _totally_ be able to sleep _just_ _fine_ that night, not knowing if his best friend was alright or not. He _totally_ wouldn't stay up worrying about the boy that meant so much to him since he hadn't seen him for a full twenty-four hours. Hopefully you sensed the sarcasm there.

The second day had come along, and Joshua Dun had full confidence that his best friend in the whole wide world would be good and well at school the next day. All of that confidence was then thrown out the window once he walked through the school doors and was yet again met with no Tyler Joseph in sight. Tyler was always there waiting for him, and now he hadn't been there for two full days. This was giving Joshua more anxiety than he could handle, and he almost decided on sneaking out of the house to go all the way across town to see him after school. _Almost_. Unfortunately, Joshua was not a fan of walking while it was negative thirteen outside.

Maybe the reason why Tyler wasn't showing up wasn't because of the weather, or his night fears. Maybe it was because finals were coming up. He had been complaining about them all throughout the following weeks leading up to the big tests. But who wasn't complaining about finals? Although, this was their freshman year, which meant that this was going to be their first set of finals taken in high school. Joshua would admit that finals were not on his list of favorite things, and it was a pain studying for them, but you had to do them or you'd automatically fail that class for the semester. Joshua knew Tyler couldn't afford failing all his classes just because he refused to show up to do his finals considering his grades weren't all that great in the first place. No, Tyler Joseph was not the best when it came to academics, but Joshua was always there to help him.

Joshua needed to get to the bottom of this before Tyler really did end up not showing for finals week. He couldn't let such a terrible thing happen to his best buddy. It could really affect his future.

So, Joshua gave it one last shot. He went to bed on the second night with high hopes that Tyler really had been doing alright the whole time and that, perhaps he just needed a break from school. There would've been no need to worry as much as Joshua did when he'd see him, happy and healthy on the third day.

That led Joshua to get up much earlier than he usually did the next morning, his heart and mind filled with determination. He got around quickly and ushered his mother out the door, ready to get to school so he could finally see his best buddy after forty-eight hours of not seeing him. Tyler would show up today. Tyler would be fine. No more worrying was needed.

But of course, things never go as Joshua wants them to. He really shouldn't have gotten his hopes up so high the night before because there Joshua Dun stood, frozen with fear along with the help of the dreadful weather outside, his best friend nowhere to be found inside the entrance of the school. _Again_.

Joshua's immediate reaction was that he had to be dead. Tyler _never_ missed school like this, ever! Then again, thinking your best friend was dead when they hadn't shown up to school for a few days without getting any news of it _was_ going a little far. Joshua needed to calm down and really think about what could be keeping Tyler at home. He had already listed all the options: the weather, nighttime, and the impending finals. There was nothing else about Tyler Joseph that nagged him enough to keep him home from school, and especially from seeing Joshua. This must have been something that was out of Tyler's control or else he'd have gotten ahold of Joshua so he wouldn't be hyperventilating in the middle of the hallway while trying to make his way to his locker. Turns out, that's exactly what it was.

Now, the weather was partly at fault. I mean, Tyler didn't make the air surrounding Columbus drop to below zero which was cold enough to break down their family's only car. It totally froze the engine up, and there was no way the Joseph family was getting anywhere for a couple of days. As soon as his father told everyone the news, Tyler was a mess.

_"What about Josh?! Dad, please, you know I can't- I-I just can't! Not without Josh. We've got to fix the car!"_

And so they tried. But they couldn't stay outside for more than ten minutes at a time without their bodies freezing up beneath their layered clothing in such frigid temperatures. Also, no one in the Jospeh family knew their way around cars. Kelly and Chris just knew how to drive them, not how to fix them if their engine had froze up. It was a big problem, and it wasn't getting solved until the cold let up a bit.

Every day Tyler grew more and more worried about how Joshua was doing without him. He tried calling but phone lines were down. It was all the weather's fault. Winter was never kind to the people of Columbus anyway.

After what seemed like forever, but was only three days, Tyler's father had gotten a friend to come take a look at the car once it had gotten a few degrees warmer. Still in the negatives, but windchill wasn't as bad as it was so it was bearable at best. The guy came that afternoon, and Tyler watched from inside their cozy home with worried eyes as he worked away. It took him about four hours and a lot of breaks to warm up inside, but he fixed their car, and Tyler couldn't have been more grateful. He swore he thanked the man a million times even though he had no idea who he was. He was finally going to see his beloved Joshua once again.

That night Tyler got to bed as soon as he could, and got up way early, too. He ushered his two brothers and one sister around, and they were all ready to go within thirty minutes of them waking up. That was record time for the Joseph household, so Kelly obliged in taking them to school early even though every child complained except for poor little Tyler. He was basically jumping out of his seat with excitement the entire ride there. Seventy-two hours without Joshua Dun was seventy-two hours too much.

Tyler had to suffer through dropping his siblings off at the elementary school and middle school first, but he sat as still and as quiet as he possibly could until he couldn't take it any longer and begged his mom to drive faster. Of course she scolded him because one, you don't tell Momma Joseph what to do, and two, the roads were icy and Tyler should've known better than to suggest such a stupid thing with the current conditions. They'd get there in due time.

After all that waiting, Tyler was in front of his stupid high school, but it was the only place he wanted to be right in that moment. Pretty soon his best friend would be showing up, and he'd get to hug him, explain what happened, and hug him some more.

He jumped out of the car and rushed inside, taking his normal seat at the very last bench that helped line the main corridor of the school entrance. He sat down quickly with his bag beside him and began wringing his hands together anxiously, hoping and praying that Joshua would just show up already. His eyes were glued to the doors, watching every student pass through that wasn't his best bud, and the fourteen year old was becoming restless. Then suddenly, his hopes and prayers were answered.

His big, brown doe eyes were flickering between each face of every student that came inside the school, and finally, they landed on the one person he'd been waiting to see for three, agonizingly long days.

There was Joshua Dun, his own brown eyes wide and alert as he searched the main hallway, most likely for Tyler. The younger boy saw his messy hair and randomly chosen clothing and knew that he had caused Joshua to fall out of his normal routines. He hated that he did that to someone who meant so much to him, and he needed to apologize and just _talk_ to him again right away.

Tyler almost couldn't move because of the rush of excitement and happiness that spread throughout his body once his favorite person in the whole wide world was visible. Nonetheless, the small boy stood almost too quickly, and that sudden movement got the attention of the older boy across the way. That was when a huge wave of relief spread through Joshua's body. Tyler was there. Tyler was safe.

Joshua threw his bag to his feet and ran as fast as he could, slamming right into Tyler with enough force that sent them both to the ground. There they laid in a heap of hormones, love, and tears of pure joy.

Joshua had never felt so relieved to see Tyler in his entire life. He had probably never held Tyler as tightly and as closely as he did in that moment either. His boy, safe in his arms, and all the worries of him not being okay melted away.

"God, you scared me so frickin' much, Ty! I was going crazy without you around! Where have you been?" Joshua rambled out, running his hand through the boy's soft, fluffy hair while planting a million kisses on his face. He stopped abruptly when he got too close to his mouth and backed off, a deep blush covering his cheeks. It was all totally platonic, _totally_.

Tyler couldn't even explain how fast his heart was beating at that moment as he laid underneath the dark haired boy, their grip on each other tightening as every second passed. His tears were dry now that Joshua had kissed them away. He always made everything better.

"Our car broke down, Joshy. Woulda told ya if I could've. Telephone lines were out, too." he explained, short and simple. No need to be elaborate when Joshua could understand anything Tyler said.

Joshua just tsk'd and pulled the boy closer to him, burying his face in the crook of his neck. The older boy's exposed skin was still cold to the touch from being out in the horrible weather, and he heard a heavenly giggle once his nose hit Tyler's contrasting warm skin. He had grown to love that giggle so much over the past nine years of knowing Tyler Joseph, inside and out, and his heart ached at the delicate sound. Joshua was was so smitten and he didn't even realize it.

Maybe that was alright though. All he needed was Tyler by his side again, and he had gotten just that. They could take up falling in love with each other later, although everyone else knew they had fallen for one another already. Also, that'd be a lot to handle considering finals were still a part of the picture. You know how that stuff goes, but Tyler Joseph and Joshua Dun would be alright, whether they were _together-_ together or not.


	9. The Child He Loved

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He was the light of my life. Fire of my loins. My sin, my soul; Tyler.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one shot was inspired by the book and movie, "Lolita". I took the concept of an older male and an adolescent being together secretly and made it into a Joshler scenario. This one shot also contains my very first smut, so cut me some slack if it sucks! I hope you all enjoy.

The night before was long for Joshua Dun, and he was definitely paying for it this morning. He could barely keep his eyes open for more than a minute before he was being forced to try and get at least a few more minutes of sleep. Obviously that wasn't going to happen because society called, and being an adult meant having a job and taking care of your family. Though Debby was the only one he had to look after so far, he still had to make a living, and the office was his best bet.  
  
He didn't mean to grow up to work in a skyscraper off in the city, but that's where his college life had led him. He had met Debby in college as well, so it seemed that all of his decisions in college had got him where he was now, and there was no turning back. There was no boy group he was playing the drums for like he genuinely wanted to do. He wasn't touring the world with one either. No, he was set in a room with tens of people all working on typewriters all day. It was torturous and dreadful, but it got him and Debby money even though she worked as a receptionist in another huge building in the city.

  
Speaking of Debby, she had greeted him at the bottom of the stairs with a big cup of coffee which she knew he needed as soon as she saw him. Joshua was so thankful for her. She knew all about him and cared for him every day. A woman in the house was essential these days considering men didn't cook or clean. Though some people had been venturing off, and both heads of the household were doing chores around the home. Joshua most certainly did not have to do that, though, because Debby had it all taken care of, and they didn't have kids. They had both agreed that they weren't ready for kids yet, although their ages ranged from twenty-six to thirty-three. They were still young, or at least Debby was, and they wanted to cherish their lives with just the two of them for just a bit longer before they welcomed any little ones in.

  
Joshua gladly took the coffee from her delicate hands and gave her a sloppy kiss on the cheek. She giggled at his tiredness, but nonetheless still ordered him to fetch the mail and the paper, and said that breakfast would be ready when he came back inside. He just grunted at her, moving sluggishly towards the front door where he exchanged his slippers for a pair of sandals. It was hot out considering it was the month of June, and he didn't want to seem like a fool who wore wool slippers outside in the morning heat.  
  
He exited their beautiful home, immediately squinting as the sun's rays shined down on him. He groaned again and trudged forward toward their mailbox. He jumped a bit when he was met with the mailman at the end of their walkway.  
  
"Rough morning, aye, Mr. Dun?" he chirped out, a playful smirk on his lips. Joshua only sighed as he nodded and thanked him for the paper.  
  
Joshua then opened the mailbox to find a few envelopes and a catalog or two of Debby's. He got everything out and was just about to go back inside when he suddenly heard laughing to his right. He turned slightly to see where the laughing was coming from when he saw four kids out on the driveway of their neighbor's house playing basketball. Soon, all of reality came sinking back in, and Joshua was reminded that his oh-so-normal life had a major corruption in it.  
  
Those kids weren't just any kids, they were the four _Joseph_ kids. They didn't just play basketball, they _lived_ basketball. And Joshua didn't just know them, he _adored_ the eldest son.  
  
There, now you know the truth. Joshua's perfect lifestyle of having a wonderful home in a nice neighborhood with a beautiful wife and a well-paying job was ruined. And it was all because of a tall, lanky, tan teenage boy who went by the name of Tyler Joseph.  
  
There was just something about the way he carried himself. He was a sassy little thing, and whenever Joshua and his father would interact, he'd always find a way to sneak himself into their conversation. He’d do every little thing he could to distract Joshua from the conversation he would be having with his father. Joshua absolutely loved that about him; how flamboyant and outgoing the teenager was, but of course he couldn't show that, so he'd just ignore Tyler, but not before giving him a shy smile in return.  
  
With the amount of times they've interacted with the Joseph family, you'd think that everyone else would notice the fondness Joshua had for Tyler. Surely Debby would notice if her own husband was paying more attention to the neighbor boy than his own wife, right? Turns out, she never suspected a thing, and Joshua was very grateful for her obliviousness. Sometimes he wouldn't be so subtle, and he was sure she would catch on, but apparently she's not so smart in that department. She may be book smart, but real life seemed to stump her a lot.  
  
When he saw all of the Joseph kids out, he immediately searched for Tyler. Just like he thought he would be, he was shooting hoop after hoop, totally demolishing his younger brothers and sister. He had a pair of exceptionally short basketball shorts on, probably the smallest pair Joshua had ever seen, and a baggy shirt that almost covered them completely. His tall white socks held more length than the shorts and his shoes were designer basketball shoes, like the ones the professionals wore. Yeah, Tyler's dad worked in an office building as well, but he was the CEO. He held a much greater importance than Joshua did in the office, that's for sure. That meant he had more money to support his six person family as well.

Just the sight of the boy woke Joshua up and put him in a better mood instantly. He knew he shouldn't have been standing there watching him but he just couldn't help it. He was so skilled at the sport, he kept the net on the hoop swishing after every shot. And after every shot he made, he would have to pull his tiny shorts out of his ass, and boy, was that a sight to see.  
  
The older man finally got a hold of himself and walked along quickly, making it to the front door in no time. Just as he was about to disappear inside, a voice called out to him.  
  
"Good morning, Mr. Dun!"  
  
That _voice_ . It was the one dipped in honey, the one _made_ to be heard by all. It was so divine, almost as divine as its owner, but not quite.  
  
There Tyler Joseph was, as his siblings continued their not-so-good basketball skills behind him while he waved to Joshua from across their yards. Joshua stood breathless for a second before he smiled slightly and waved back to him, the angel giggling when he noticed how flustered he had made him.  
  
So maybe no one else noticed, but at least Tyler knew exactly what he was doing to Joshua. He figured it out the day after the Dun's moved in next to them that Joshua had completely fallen for him, and that he had fallen quite quickly. He had to admit, he was very flattered, and he wasn't ashamed to say Mr. Dun was a mighty fine man himself. He thought it was pretty neat that they had mutual feelings, but they certainly couldn't act on them. Not in the public eye, that is.  
  
Oh yes, Tyler and Joshua had been left alone a very few amount of times, and they cherished those moments, but nothing big ever happened. They just discussed the problem at hand, and whenever Tyler would get too touchy or wanted to try something, Joshua would push him off because he knew better. Though, if it were allowed, and he wasn't cheating on his wife, Joshua would've done so many dirty things to that boy already, he'd be embarrassed to mention them out loud.  
  
As Joshua made his way inside, he thought about possibly doing something the next time they got in touch. The Joseph's were having a small cookout that evening, and of course the Dun's were invited. It was rare that the two ever got left alone, as mentioned before, but if it just so happened, Joshua promised himself he'd finally give himself and Tyler the attention each of them craved.  
  
He was done refusing his wife sexual pleasure just so he could fantasize about the teenager during a cold shower. He was done seeing that sweet boy and not being able to say or do anything to him because it was so forbidden. He'd only do anything this time if Tyler was okay with it, but he was certain he wouldn't have any problems convincing him. Joshua finally decided that tonight would be the night he'd get together with his precious gem, and he just couldn't wait.  
  
Work was a pain in the ass as usual, but Joshua had gotten through his shift without any big problems, and he was more than happy to be home. He thought about Tyler all day, which was probably a bad thing because he almost gave himself a hard-on during one of his meetings. He was such an idiot sometimes, but now he wouldn't have to worry about doing anything idiotic at all. He was going to loosen up and wind down tonight; he was going to have fun. And he hoped that Tyler would have fun, too.  
  
As soon as he walked in the door, he was speeding up the stairs. Debby had called after him but he ignored her. He knew if he spent too much time around her this evening, he would start to feel guilty about the crime he hasn't even committed yet, and he wasn't planning on backing out of anything this time.  
  
He went to his wardrobe and picked out the nicest casual outfit he had. He grabbed a plaid, baby blue and white button-down shirt with some khaki shorts and tall white socks. The shoes he knew he wanted to wear were his blue suede shoes which were downstairs, and they tied the outfit together perfectly. That was as casual as men got with it being 1955, but it would definitely do. He got changed out of his suit and into the clothes he picked out quickly. He then checked his watch to see that it was 5:41 PM, and the Joseph cookout started at six o'clock sharp. Once he got back downstairs, he noticed that Debby was already ready.  
  
"Hey, mister. How's come you didn't kiss me like you usually do when you get home?" she questioned him, grabbing onto his shoulders softly and giving him pouty lips. All Joshua could do was let out a small sigh before giving her a quick peck on the lips, then he was out of her grasp so he could put his blue suede shoes on.  
  
"I'm just excited to talk with Chris again. We're buddies, you know that." he told her while tugging on a shoe, and all she did was fold her arms over her chest.  
  
"Oh, alright. You get to see him when we go over for the cookout. By the way, we've got almost fifteen minutes. Do you want to be early?"  
  
"Yes." he answered all too quickly, and he cleared his throat awkwardly after it just to prove that fact even more. Debby was still too dumb to notice anything, and she only smiled sweetly at him and went to go grab her purse so they could leave.  
  
The walk over to the Joseph's took less than five minutes, but Joshua felt like it took an eternity. He had to mentally prepare himself to see the one and only beauty in the neighborhood. Tyler was just too good to be true, and he needed to be ready to face such a seraphic being.  
  
"Mr. and Mrs. Dun, you made it!"  
  
The couple heard the honey-soaked voice before they heard the slam of a screen door. Joshua couldn't even register what had happened until he looked down and saw he had Tyler's tan arms hooked tight around his torso and his face buried in his chest. If this was how things were going to start, Joshua had no idea how he thought he'd be able to keep himself together the whole night.  
  
Although he wanted to pick the boy up and spin him around in circles just to hear his uncontrollable giggling, he awkwardly patted his back and gave Debby a stiff smile, but she was soon occupied when Mrs. Joseph made her way out to the couple from the backyard.  
  
Joshua felt a jab and looked back down to see Tyler with his chin digging into his chest. He was smirking as he looked up at the man through hooded eyelids. Joshua would've kissed him right there if he could've, but he contained it all, even when Tyler puckered his plump lips on purpose to tease him. He, too, must've been thinking of the other while getting dressed because he had on another pair of short shorts (except these ones were jeans) and a light yellow tank top that contrasted with his tan skin unbelievably well. Joshua had so many ideas popping into his mind but he couldn't let those escape just yet. First, he had to get Tyler off of him though that's right where he wanted him to be: in his arms.  
  
"Tyler, have you gotten the dishes and the silverware out for your guests yet?" Joshua questioned the boy smartly, smirking at him a tad bit when the boy gave him a dirty look.  
  
"No, Mr. Dun." he said quietly as he dropped his arms from his torso and met his mother's stern eyes.  
  
"Tyler Robert, go set the table." she ordered promptly.   
  
"Yes ma'am." he answered, before trudging off, but not before giving Joshua a quick cheeky glance over his shoulder before disappearing inside.  
  
"Uh- Well, it seems as though I've forgotten to use the bathroom before we came. Kelly, do you mind if I use yours?" he lied, glad he had made up an excuse in so little time.  
  
Her stern look vanished from her face when she told him, "Oh, of course not, Joshua! You know you're welcome to the bathroom anytime you're at our home."  
  
He thanked her quickly and made his way inside from the backyard where everyone had come out from. The kitchen was right there, so he was met with Tyler picking out forks and spoons for everyone, and knives for the adults only. Tyler turned his head when he heard the backdoor slam shut, and the smile that grew on his lips almost made Joshua tear up at how gorgeous it was.  
  
"Hey, Mr. Dun. What're you doin' in here, huh?" he jokingly asked, raising his eyebrows a bit before setting the silverware down and focusing all his attention on the much older male.  
  
Joshua only blushed before saying, "Was comin' to see you, angel. What'd you expect?"  
  
Tyler was smiling bashfully now, and Joshua wanted nothing more than to cover him in kisses from head to toe. Instead, his eyes darted around the kitchen before leaning on the island and asking in a quieter tone, "Where's the rest of your family, baby?"  
  
Tyler just pointed a finger upwards, which meant that everyone else must still be getting ready. That didn't give them all the time in the world, but you're damn right if you thought Joshua would use all of that time up to the very last second.  
  
He made his way over to Tyler in no time and had a hold of his hips even faster than that. His hot breath fanned down onto the side of the younger boy's face as he whispered, "I can't hold back any longer, sweets. I think tonight's the night."  
  
He felt Tyler physically shiver after he said those words, and he couldn't count the amount of times he nodded his head eagerly. " _Yes_ , oh my God. I thought you'd never give in.”

  
Joshua's confidence boosted greatly when he heard how breathless he made Tyler just by holding his hips and whispering into his ear. That then boosted his excitement for the state he'd get him in once they were alone for good later on.  
  
Heavy footsteps descending down the stairs broke the short silence, and they immediately broke apart. Tyler picked the silverware back up and Joshua didn't know what to do with himself so he just grabbed the napkins to act like he was helping.  
  
Chris Joseph entered the room, his eyes going a bit wide and a hearty grin taking over his face once he saw Joshua. "Joshua Dun! It's been a bit, but I'm so glad you're here !" he said cheerfully.  
  
Joshua smiled too, and it was sort of genuine. I mean, he did like Chris to a certain extent. They were fascinated by similar things and they could talk about office stuff together, but he felt weird sometimes because he _did_ still have this thing for his son. And it was kind of _completely_ illegal. He couldn't just not talk to him because of that, though. Chris would definitely get suspicious.  
  
They engulfed each other in a hug while Tyler excused himself out to the deck so he could set the table. Chris started a conversation as the two men made their way outside as well. Joshua didn't really have anything to add to it, so he just listened to him talk numbly.  
  
Joshua went to hand Tyler the napkins when he was done with the silverware so he could set those out as well, and the teenager wrapped his whole hand around Josh's just to grab them. Joshua was already giving him looks after he did that, but Tyler only made it worse when he bent over the entire table to set napkins in places on the other side when he easily could've walked around. Joshua knew he was teasing him, and he didn't mind at all. It made Tyler’s jean shorts even tighter around when he bent over the table like that, and his ass looked great, so why would Joshua be complaining?

  
Not long after, the whole Joseph family was in the backyard and Kelly and Debby had joined everyone else by the table. Tyler finished setting everything up and they were ready to say a prayer before they went in and got their food. Everyone got into a circle as best as they could, and Tyler and Josh ended up across from each other when it was settled. They had their only daughter, Madison, say the prayer because she had been obsessed with saying it at dinner lately, Kelly had mentioned.  
  
"God is good, God is great..." the little girl had started, but Joshua drowned out her words when he felt eyes burning into him.  
  
The older male dared to look up from his folded hands and saw Tyler's big brown doe eyes glued to his face. The boy then smirked when he had his attention, and nonchalantly grabbed at his crotch to readjust himself in his shorts, keeping eye contact with Joshua the entire time. Joshua inhaled sharply at that, his eyes going a bit wide at the kid's actions, but he couldn't say he didn't enjoy what he saw because he certainly did. Soon enough, prayer was over, and Joshua was reminded that that was a holy thing they were supposed to be doing, and yet Tyler distracted him by grabbing at his dick to taunt him. Joshua  _knew_ that he was in for a sinful night indeed.  
  
Everyone was finally able to dig in, and Chris made sure everyone got a burger that he had cooked on their brand new grill before going inside to get their sides. He told Joshua he was so excited to try it out since he bought it as soon as it was released, and their cookout was the perfect occasion. Joshua was just excited to try the meat to see if this grill thing actually made it taste different.  
  
Joshua stuck by Debby's side while getting his food, but he snuck glances at Tyler from time to time. Once their plates were full with various foods, they took their seats outside at the table side-by-side. Joshua wasn't surprised when he looked up from his potatoe salad and saw Tyler plop himself down in the seat directly across from him. All he did was smile a sugary sweet smile when they made eye contact, but then all his focus was on his food.  
  
Dinner went pretty well. The food was delicious and the burgers actually did taste better than if they would've been cooked on a stove. Maybe that new grill invention wasn't that bad after all. The only major incident that happened was during the time where everyone was eating their dessert, Kelly's homemade apple pie, and the adults were talking more than eating. Joshua was in the middle of a conversation with the rest of the adults when a sudden weight was felt _down there_. It almost made him jump out of his skin, but when he met Tyler's gaze and saw his devilish grin, he just cursed under his breath. He looked and realized it was Tyler's foot pressing into his crotch, but it still messed with him. He tried to ignore him with all his might, but he kept pressing down harder and Joshua was bound to let out a groan soon, so he readjusted himself in his seat to where he knocked Tyler's foot down and crossed his legs for good measure. Debby turned to look at him questionably, but he just smiled at her and she was done worrying.  
  
After dinner, they decided to go out front where the basketball hoop was because the kids wanted to play. Chris and Kelly had some lawn chairs and all four adults sat out while the kids played the game. This was the only time where Joshua was allowed to watch Tyler's every move without getting questioned, and he was going to cherish every bit of it.  
  
Tyler, on the other hand, was more focused on the sport than Joshua at this point. Joshua knew how much basketball meant to the boy and he wasn't about to distract him from it or anything. At least he was playing nice with Tyler before things got more complicated later on. All Tyler did was tease, but he was calming down a bit now.  
  
The adults talked about nothing as all four Jospeh kids passed around the basketball and shot hoops, or at least tried to if they weren't Tyler. Tyler would get every basket, and Joshua was just amazed at how good he was. He was incredible. Hopefully he would go on to become a professional basketball player after high school. Those guys made big bucks these days, that's for sure. Plus he'd love to keep in touch with Tyler that way.  
  
The night dragged on, and no one knew what time it was until Joshua looked at his watch, or tried to with what lighting he had considering it was almost pitch black outside. It was almost 9:00 PM. I guess you just lose track of time when you're relaxing, or having fun on the kid's part. They did seem a little tired now, though.  
  
"Nine o'clock? The kids' bedtime is eight thirty. They're lucky we even let 'em stay up this much later. I should get them to bed, but you guys can stay. That just means we're allowed to have some alcohol now." Kelly told Joshua and Debby, and everyone had a laugh at her last sentence before she rounded them up and took them inside. Joshua and Tyler made eye contact one last time before Joshua knew he had to make up another excuse to go inside again. It wouldn't be right after they go to bed, but it'd be pretty close. He didn't want Tyler to actually fall asleep while he was waiting on him.  
  
Kelly came back out about twenty minutes later, accompanied with a few bottles of beer. Everyone enjoyed their drinks and talked some more because what else were they supposed to do? Time had passed and Joshua looked at his watch to notice that it had been nearly thirty minutes since the kids had been put down. He didn't want to risk anything, so he decided that now was his time to put his plan in action. He couldn't even believe that he was finally going to do something with Tyler after all this time. He wanted to taste his lips so bad, it wasn't even funny.  
  
He grabbed ahold of his stomach and groaned a bit, setting his beer down before standing up. "I don't know guys, I think something I ate ain't agreeing with me. You mind if I use your bathroom again?" So yeah, it had to do with him using the bathroom once more, but he couldn't think of anything else that would work as well, so he went with it.  
  
Kelly just tsked and gave Joshua a look. "Joshua, you heard what I said earlier. Just holler if you need anything, alright?"  
  
"You got it. Thank you, ma'am." he said, before dismissing himself and heading inside, not being able to hide his smile already.  
  
He made sure he was quiet when he entered through the back this time, then he took big but silent steps up the stairs where all the bedrooms were. He had never been this far into their house so he didn't know which bedroom was Tyler's, but Tyler knew that and had waited for him outside his door after his mother had left.  
  
When he watched the older male reach the top of the steps, he immediately stood up, and his heart was going a mile a minute. Joshua had seen him stand, and his breathing began to grow erratic once everything started to set in place. They had gotten this far. They just needed to be quiet whilst doing the important stuff so his siblings wouldn't wake up, and they needed to be sort of quick so Tyler's parents and Debby wouldn't grow worried.  
  
Joshua took his shoes off before rushing forward and grabbing a hold of Tyler's right hip with his free left hand, and shoved him inside his room. Tyler reached behind him and closed the door with ease, making sure he didn't make any noise. Joshua then threw his shoes to the ground and pushed Tyler up against his door, their chests touching and their hips grinding together for the first time. Tyler's eyes were already closed and his mouth was already hanging open.  
  
Joshua made sure their foreheads were pressed together as well before he asked, "You ready, darling?" and all Tyler could do was nod his head as best as he could before Joshua wasted no time in making their lips collide to finish it all off.  
  
Their first kiss was overwhelming. Tyler's lips were heaven, Joshua was sure of it. They were soft, and felt more plumper than they looked. He tasted so good and young and just so _different_ than what Debby tasted like. It wasn't hard for Joshua to prefer Tyler's taste over Debby's at all.  
  
Their lips fit together as though they were meant to, and Joshua couldn't hold back any longer and started to show who was boss. He bit onto Tyler's bottom lip, making the boy groan, which gave Joshua the perfect opportunity to explore the rest of Tyler's mouth. It was all so good, every bit of it, and he was sure he was beginning to grow more drunk off of Tyler than the beer he was drinking earlier.  
  
His hands were all over Tyler's body; roaming his torso under his tank top, tugging on the waistband of his shorts, and best of all, grabbing at his ass. Tyler's ass had to be one of Joshua’s favorite physical features of his because it made him seem so much more feminine than he was because of its size. The chunkiness filled his large hands when he grabbed on, and Tyler's groans grew louder when he did so.  
  
He had to have more. Tyler's lips were a blessing on their own, but he said he would cover Tyler in kisses if he could, and even though he probably really shouldn't, he was still going to mark up the parts that no one would be seeing but him. That meant Tyler's cute little yellow tank top was ripped off in no time and Joshua made sure to get back at the boy for teasing him by nipping and licking from his jaw down his neck, but never sucking because people would see. Finally he was far enough down his chest that he could start making marks and he wasted no time in getting started. Tyler was wriggling all about under his grasp, his dainty hands finding their way to Joshua's hair and _man_ , could he tug hard.  
  
Once Joshua decided there were enough marks on his chest for the amount of time they had to do whatever they were going to do, he flipped them around and started walking Tyler back towards his bed while their lips reunited in a heated, sloppy kiss. Joshua was able to get his shirt off before he pressed Tyler down onto his bed. He took a moment to observe his disheveled appearance, and how his pupils were dilated and how his lips were red and swollen which only made them bigger. He was breathing heavy and he was starting to buck his hips upward to meet Joshua's. Joshua finally went down on him to meet both of their needs, and Tyler was arching his back and his mouth was hanging open again and he just looked _so_ _beautiful_. Joshua would've gotten emotional over the fact that he and Tyler were finally doing this if it weren't for their time restraint. Instead, he snaked his hand down his torso and began to palm him through his shorts.  
  
Joshua definitely made sure he was working Tyler up enough. The teenager was panting and his moans were getting louder, but before Joshua could tell him to quiet down, he had grabbed Joshua's hand and was making him palm faster.  
  
"Need you, d-daddy. Need you _right_ _now_." he begged breathlessly, and Joshua almost ripped off every bit of clothing left on the boy’s body right then and there when he heard the name slip off his tongue _so easily_ , along with the pleads.  
  
"Baby, you know we don't have time for that right now. Daddy wants your first time to be special and slow, not rushed." he whispered to him deeply, his hand slowing down, but that only made Tyler whine.  
  
Suddenly, Tyler was sitting up and scooting off his bed while shoving Joshua to sit on the edge. Joshua had no idea what he was doing until he watched Tyler sink to his knees on the hardwood floor in front of him. That's when he knew he was in for it _bad_.  
  
"Angel, w-what're you...?" he trailed off, his heart rate picking up immensely when Tyler started to undo his shorts for him.

  
"I've been practicing for you, daddy." he said innocently while looking up at Joshua with those big brown eyes of his.  
  
_Lord, have mercy,_ Joshua thought as he lifted his hips enough for Tyler to yank his pants and underwear off and for his dick to spring free. He watched Tyler's eyes grow wide at the size of him, and it made him feel proud that he was surprised.  
  
"You want me to help you, Ty?" Joshua asked as he reached for Tyler's hand, but he waved him off. He sat up on his knees more and grabbed onto the base of Joshua's dick before he slowly but surely started to pump him.  
  
Joshua knew he was barely even doing anything yet, but just the feeling of having Tyler's hand on his dick made him go crazy. Such an innocent little thing was about to do such a dirty deed. Joshua was more than ready for his little baby to pleasure him.  
  
Joshua was so lost in Tyler's first initial touch that it startled him when he felt a pair of lips enclose around his tip. A moan that was an octave too loud escaped his lips as he propped himself up with one hand while the other reached for Tyler's soft brown locks. He tugged at the boy's hair as he went further down, and Tyler was having just as hard a time at keeping his moans quiet.  
  
Just as Tyler had gone as far down as he could go, and his eyes were watering, he slipped all the way off before plunging right back down. Joshua was seeing stars after that, and he couldn't help but be a little bit louder to show Tyler he was doing an amazing job. He must've practiced a lot because Joshua knew for a fact that Tyler had never sucked dick before, and he was so _good_ at it.  
  
The next thing Joshua knew, he was at his climax, and he had to let Tyler know somehow so he didn't make him choke, so he quickly moaned out a, "Tyler, I'm-" before releasing into his mouth. The boy took everything Joshua had to offer, and he almost got hard again just by watching Tyler swallow his cum. He was so proud of his angel.  
  
He brought Tyler up immediately and kissed him more passionately this time, knowing if they didn't hurry up, someone would come looking for Josh. He kissed him with all the love he possessed for the boy, and Tyler held back nothing and reciprocated. Joshua wasn't going to leave Tyler with a hard-on, so he allowed him to crawl onto his lap and grind away, Joshua praising him all the while until he came in his pants, just for him. He then quickly helped Tyler out of his messy underwear and said he’d take them to wash them so his parents wouldn’t find out, but we all know Joshua just wanted to keep a pair of Tyler's boxers, _especially_ if they were the ones _he_ made Tyler cum in. Really, he just needed an article of his clothing so he could constantly be reminded of this night. Neither of them would ever forget it.  
  
Joshua shoved his underwear in his pocket and kissed Tyler until he was the one telling Joshua that he needed to leave before anyone came looking. Joshua wanted to cry as he finally pulled away from Tyler, never wanting this perfect night to end. He didn’t want to believe that what they just did was illegal. He wanted to believe that he could do whatever he and Tyler wanted to do without worrying about being caught, but that just wanted an option. Instead, he left the teenager’s room as a whole new man, and even though what they did was so extraordinarily wrong, Joshua couldn't have felt any better about it all. He had had his eyes on Tyler for so long, and now they had finally gotten the chance to be together. Although it wasn't an official hookup, Joshua still felt like he was high. He felt _alive_ . Only Tyler could make him feel that way. Debby would never be able to compare.  
  
He looked himself over in the downstairs bathroom and buttoned up his shirt before heading out to Debby, Kelly, and Chris. He played the "it's late" card and said goodbye to Kelly and Chris with ease. Him and Debby then made their way back home, and Debby was too tired to ask if he was alright or not. She went to take a shower straight away, which gave Joshua time to quickly wash Tyler's underwear with some soap and water before shaking them dry for a bit and packing them away in his underwear drawer for now.  
  
He didn't feel like washing Tyler off of him just yet, so he got pajamas on and laid down for bed before Debby stepped out of the bathroom to join him. She said goodnight to him and he said goodnight back, and for once, she didn't snuggle up to his side. Joshua felt oddly good about that. That meant he could bask in the events that just occurred before he fell asleep without her distracting him. The funny thing was, he didn't really feel guilty. Even while being in the same bed as his wife again, he felt like he was on top of the world for once in a long while. He could now fall asleep without a care in the world, and it was all because of the child he loved.


	10. Fix Me/Fix You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's another one shot for y'all. Don't forget that I also have these posted on my Wattpad account @/supersatanic if you would prefer reading them on there!

It was late. It was always late when Tyler got like this. This was the only time where the demons that taunted him all day long could actually get to him. He had no distractions. All he had was the darkness that swallowed up his room when the sun went down.

He didn't know how long he had been sitting there. He had forgotten to turn the lights on when it got close to six o'clock and now it was pitch black. Of course he could make out everything in his room, even in the dark. Most everyone can. It's just that Tyler's spent most of his entire life in his room. He's memorized every square inch of it with the endless hours he's had in there.

It was a simple task. Stand up, walk the couple steps to the light switch, and flip it on. Yes, so terribly simple, and yet Tyler still couldn't do it. He was afraid of everything, but a big fear of his was indeed the dark. He knew all too well what could happen if he got up and tried making the darkness disappear.

They'd pounce. They know he's most vulnerable at this time, and the least he could do was try to save himself by staying put. That meant another night without getting cleaned up. He really despised morning showers, but there was no way he'd be leaving his room, let alone his own bed.

It was silent, except for the faint whispers in the back of his head, but he paid no mind to them. They were always there, ever since he was young. He's gotten used to them, in a way.

Yes, it was silent until footsteps were heard outside of his door, just down the hall. They were headed his way, he knew it, and he braced himself for whatever family member was coming to check up on him then.

There were three knocks, and the doorknob turned. It was Tyler's father, chuckling as he flicked on the light switch. The brightness was new to Tyler's tired eyes, and he squinted until they were able to adjust.

"Tyler, bud, what are you doing sitting in the dark? Have you eaten yet?" He must've just gotten home from work. That told Tyler that it was around eight o'clock. He had been... not really  _there_  for over two hours. It wasn't a surprise.

Tyler just nodded, knowing full well that he was telling yet another lie to his father. He lied all the time, to cover up what was really happening. Ever since he told his parents about the voices and his demons when he was ten, he had always lied. Why tell the truth when the people who brought you into this world don't even believe you? Especially when it's something as serious as disembodied voices and dark shadows telling you you'll never amount to anything? That was Tyler's theory, at least.

His father sighed, a familiar sigh that escaped his lips almost everyday. It was always Tyler's fault, why his father and mother were so frustrated and unhappy. Tyler could never ease the so-called pain they felt when their son never talked to them anymore. They brought it upon themselves. They lost their oldest son seven years ago when they told him he was just making things up. They left their son to go completely insane, and there was no way they could save him now.

He left, closing the door behind him how Tyler liked it, and that was the end of that. He showed no emotion towards his father; he rarely did towards his entire family. They were all talkative people, very lively. Tyler used to be like them. He used to be a Joseph. The poor boy hasn't felt like he has belonged for a while now.

The lights were left on. Tyler could see better, which gave him a little relief. It was still nighttime, though, and he was still in danger. This happened every night. He never knew how he'd get through these episodes. He just  _did_.

He turned around, looking at the windows behind him. The blinds were closed, the curtains pulled shut. Tyler finally felt safe enough to stand up and take careful steps to his lovely windows, removing their coverings and looking out at the road below him. It was really dark now, but Tyler couldn't fight the urge he had when he saw how busy the road was at this time of night. No one would see him, it was nearly impossible. Tyler had the perfect opportunity, and he just needed to grab ahold of it.

Forgetting all about his fears of the dark and having to face his family when he got downstairs, he rushed out of his room and down the stairs. He saw the shock on his family's faces when he cut through the living room and spotted them all sitting on the couch watching TV.

"Tyler, honey-" he heard his mother call, but he ignored her. He had to hurry while people were still driving by. He thought more about backing out if it wasn't busy, and he really didn't want to back out this time.

He prayed to God his mother wouldn't follow him out, and his prayers were answered when he stepped barefoot onto their cement driveway by himself. The cold hit him all too quickly and he was shivering in no time. It was the end of December, his birthday month, so of course it would be cold with it being the middle of winter. Tyler didn't care at that point. He shouldn't have to suffer out there that much longer anyway.

He watched as two cars sped by as he made his way to the end of his driveway. They were going fast because it was a country road. You feel limitless when you're out in the country and there's really no set boundaries compared to when you live in the city. That's what Tyler felt, anyway.

It was strange for a country road to be so busy, but for some reason tonight, it was. He was thankful, completely thankful. Tyler didn't want to have to survive through another torturous night. He didn't want to listen to what they had to say about him next. He had been tormented by things that didn't have bodies. He couldn't fight them any longer. Seven years he's had to deal with it all on his own, and he was finally sick of it.

He stepped out onto the dirt road, the pebbles beneath his feet poking into his soft skin. It didn't matter if it was the bottom of Tyler's feet or even his crooked, jagged bottom teeth-- everything about Tyler Joseph was still soft. He was an innocent soul that suffered everyday because of whispers that came from demons who sat on his shoulders and teased him to no end. The poor boy never did anything wrong. He didn't deserve the horrible teasing he received, and yet he still got it. Funny how such a faultless teenage boy was going to off himself, just like that.

His eyes were immediately drawn to a pair of headlights just rounding the corner that was down a ways from his house. They were coming quick, and he knew that it was his chance. He crouched down in the underbrush by the road so they wouldn't see him until he jumped right out in front of them and then... there. Everything would be finished. Tyler would be in peace at last.

He knew he shouldn't have been as happy as he was, but he couldn't help but smile like a mad man when the car didn't slow down at all. It was going to happen, finally, Tyler was going to be free from all the misery he had gone through. Just a few seconds more, maybe twenty, and then it'd be time.

Except nothing ever comes that easy. Nothing ever goes how Tyler Joseph wants it to. Why was he even trying again?

He wanted to believe that his eyes were playing tricks on him because of how excited he was. He liked to think he didn't see the car slowing down. He'd liked to say that his whole world didn't come crashing down when the car, instead, turned into the Josephs' driveway, and left their oldest son to sit in shock in some bushes after what was supposed to be his successful suicide attempt backfired.

He watched with blurry vision as the headlights turned off, and the person stepped out of the car. Tears spilled from his eyes as he watched them walk up to the front door and ring the doorbell. Tyler knew who the person was, even before they turned to glance around, but his heavy heart still fell to his stomach once he saw their all-too-familiar face.

He had almost forgotten about him because of how selfish he was being. He wanted to end his own suffering so much that he forgot about the boy who he was supposed to be helping as well. It was a deal, actually. They were supposed to be helping each other. And boy, did Josh Dun try hard at saving Tyler Joseph.

He was a determined boy indeed. Tyler was always just so defiant. He never believed anyone could save him, ever. Then he met Josh, and he began to let up a bit. It was because Josh gave Tyler hope. But the voices and his evil demons always got the best of him, especially on this dreadful night. He really was going to end it until Joshua, that sweet, sweet boy, showed up.

He heard his mother's voice and was brought back to reality when he realized she had opened the door for the boy he cared about most.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, he left just a minute ago. I could try calling hi-" But Tyler couldn't take it any longer. He needed Josh now more than ever. He helped Tyler. He was the only one who understood and was willing to help, and he couldn't just give up and leave Josh in the dust.

"No, wait! Wait, Josh, I'm here!" Tyler shouted across the yard, and both of their heads snapped his way when he revealed himself from the underbrush and started running for his life towards his only savior. No, it was already established that his mother nor his father could ever save him. Probably not even God could. Joshua was the only soul who had the ability to do so in Tyler's eyes.

Tyler raced up the driveway, panting and heaving all the way until he got close enough to fling himself into his best friend's arms. Then, he just let go. He broke down, and Josh sunk to the ground and held Tyler all the while, running his hand through his fluffy brown hair and whispering reassuring things to calm him down. Tyler's mother watched with wide eyes as the boy who she barely even knew handled her son better than she ever could. He knew just what to do.

"Tyler, hey, buddy. C'mon Ty, breathe with me. Listen to my breathing, match yours up with mine." Joshua held Tyler's head to his chest, wiping his tears away as they fell down his cheeks while the younger boy tried to get a grip on himself and listened to his best friend's orders.

Joshua looked up with sad, sad eyes and gave Tyler's mother a look that she understood all too well. They needed a moment, and she would give them all the time in the world if it meant her oldest baby would come out alright. So, she turned and left with high hopes in her heart that Joshua would be able to fix him.

Once Tyler's sobbing turned into soft whimpers, he gathered himself up as best as he could and sat up in Josh's lap, straddling him and steadying himself by gripping onto his shoulders. He caught a glimpse of Joshua's worried and confused expression and almost caved in again.

"Josh, I am s-so sorry. You- I... I was going to d-do it. It was your c-car, I didn't know it w-was you, I-" he was rambling and hiccuping so Josh just shushed him and brought him back in for a long, tight hug. Josh was about to start crying once he heard what Tyler had almost done, but he held it in for a little big longer because he knew Tyler needed all the comfort he could get in that moment.

Josh really wasn't surprised, though. He had been with Tyler long enough to know that trying to fix him would be a long, hard process. He was going to repeat past events, just like he had tonight. He thought he was going to be successful. Joshua just thanked God that he tried doing it when he did so that he was able to see that it was Josh. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if Tyler had really died that night.

"Tyler... it's alright. We'll work on it. You'll get better, I'll make sure of it." he took a deep breath, "Don't give up on me just yet, please."

Joshua felt tears stinging his eyes and he couldn't help but give in. He was an emotional guy after all. It was already a struggle to keep everything in before he met Tyler. Tyler helped him cope with that stuff. Now it was time for Josh to really kick it into gear so he could tackle Tyler's problems and put an end to his sadness.

Tyler felt horrible. He pulled away from Josh and just took a long look at him. He looked nice in the porch light, but he wouldn't admit that to him. He just held his face in his soft hands and kissed away his tears. He didn't care how "homo" he was being. He loved Josh, he really did. He still couldn't believe he had gotten so caught up that he forgot about him. It was a cruel thing for him to do, and he wouldn't be able to forgive himself for a long while.

They gave each other the biggest smiles they could muster at the moment, and Josh chuckled a small bit, sniffing. "Gosh, Tyler, you keep me busy. Please just call me next time, okay? Pinky promise." he held up his pinky finger and Tyler just rolled his puffy, bloodshot eyes in amusement. He giggled and gave in to his Joshua, hooking their pinkies and blushing just a small tad as Josh stared him down the whole time.

Neither boy had any idea that the entire Joseph family was watching with big smiles from the living room window as their Tyler was slowly beginning to be patched up by just one simple boy. Josh was going to fix him, no matter how hard it was going to be, or whether Tyler did as good a job at fixing him as well, and Tyler's family couldn't have been more grateful for a boy as precious as Joshua Dun.d


End file.
